Cobb Hill is an
intentional community in
Hartland, Vermont
Hartland is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,446 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Hartland, Hartland Four Corners, and North Hartland.
History
Hartland, originally named Hertford, was cha ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Its design borrows from other community, agricultural, and environmental action models:
cohousing
Cohousing is an intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space. The term originated in Denmark in late 1960s. Each attached or single family home has traditional amenities, including a private kitchen. Shared spaces typic ...
,
ecovillage
An ecovillage is a traditional or intentional community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically, and/or ecologically sustainable. An ecovillage strives to produce the least possible negative impact on the natural e ...
s,
sustainable communities
The term "sustainable communities" has various definitions, but in essence refers to communities planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. Sustainable communities tend to focus on environmental and economic sustainability, urban in ...
,
community-supported agriculture
Community-supported agriculture (CSA model) or cropsharing is a system that connects producers and consumers within the food system closer by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms. It is an alterna ...
(CSA), agricultural collectives,
sustainability research and action organizations.
Green Construction
23 households live in tightly clustered houses on that include a working, partly horse-powered, farm and forest.
Cohousing Directory - Community View, Cobb Hill, Hartland, Vermont, United States.
Cohousing.org Another member lives in an 1800s farmhouse on the property. The new homes and common house were built using green building
Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planni ...
principles: buildings oriented to maximize solar hot water and passive solar heating, very good insulation and windows, composting toilets
A composting toilet is a type of dry toilet that treats human waste by a biological process called composting. This process leads to the decomposition of organic matter and turns human waste into compost-like material. Composting is carried ou ...
, two Garn brand wood gasifying furnaces to heat all units, certified and local building materials, and Energy Star
Energy Star (trademarked ''ENERGY STAR'') is a program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that promotes energy efficiency. The program provides information on the energy consumption of pr ...
appliances.
Agriculture at Cobb Hill
Agricultural enterprises include a vegetable CSA (Community-supported agriculture
Community-supported agriculture (CSA model) or cropsharing is a system that connects producers and consumers within the food system closer by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms. It is an alterna ...
) and dairy called Cedar Mountain Farm, Cobb Hill Cheese, Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt, Cobb Hill Maple Syrup, Cobb Hill Icelandic Sheep, Cobb Hill Mushrooms, beekeeping/honey, poultry, egg production, hay, and forestry. Each enterprise is structured as a partnership of an interested and invested subset of community members. While the enterprises all use mostly organic methods they have chosen not to seek organic certification. Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem ser ...
and production for local and regional markets are emphasized. Some of the residents bring in a significant part of their household income from the agricultural enterprises.
Community
Cobb Hill members seek a sustainable lifestyle. Beyond green houses and producing food locally there is shared intention to explore other forms of local and global education and action. This plays out in many ways and at varied levels of commitment and time for different members. Members participate in the many activities that keep the community functioning socially and physically - shared meals twice a week, monthly work days and community meetings, standing and ad hoc committees, social events. Over time deep friendships have developed. Conflicts also happen. The community has shown resilience and tenacity in exploring how to move collectively from wide-ranging personal interest to common ground.
Donella Meadows Institute (formerly Sustainability Institute)
Some Cobb Hill members worked in the initial years at the Sustainability Institute, which was adjacent to the cohousing village and farm. Dana Meadows, a founding member of Cobb Hill also founded the Institute before her death in 2001. In 2011 the Sustainability Institute was renamed as the Donella Meadows Institute and moved its offices to nearby Norwich, Vermont.
References
{{reflist
External links
Cobb HillCedar Mountain Farm CSACobb Hill CheeseGarn Wood Gasifying Furnaces
Ecovillages
Agriculture in Vermont